Schulze Finishes Second in Finals of 100-yard Butterfly at NWC Meet

By Robert McKinney, Athletics Communications Director, (503) 370-6110

FEDERAL WAY, WASH. -- Willamette University senior Gwen Schulze (Silverdale, WA/Central Kitsap HS/Austin College) took second place in the Championship Final of the 100-yard butterfly with the fourth-fastest time in school history at the Northwest Conference Swimming Championships on Saturday, Feb. 13. Schulze earned her second place finish with a time of 1:00.26.

Schulze reduced her career-best time by 40/100ths of a second from her 1:00.66 recorded in the prelims earlier on Saturday. Her finals time of 1:00.26 ranks fourth on Willamette's all-time list behind Gerianne Mikasa at 59.30 and 59.78 (both in 1997) and Jen Hodges at 1:00.21 in 1995.

Ashley Lecoq of Whitworth University won the women's 100-yard butterfly title. Her winning time was 56.55 seconds.

Two Willamette swimmers competed in the Consolation Final of the women's 100-yard butterfly. Kara Koetje (So., Arlington, WA/Stanwood HS) took fifth with a time of 1:03.52 to place 13th overall. Kayla Kosaki (Fr., Hilo, HI/Waiakea HS) was sixth. Her time in the race was 1:03.79, as she placed 14th overall.

Hanna Connett (Jr., Pullman, WA/Pullman HS) and Lauren Ballinger (Fr., Wenatchee, WA/Wenatchee HS) each participated in one individual event during the Consolation Finals on Saturday. Connett took sixth in the "B" Final of the 400-yard individual medley in 5:01.82 to place 14th overall. Ballinger finished 14th in the 200-yard freestyle by taking sixth in the "B" Final with a time of 2:02.23.

The Willamette women's team competed in both relays on Saturday. The Bearcats earned a fifth place finish in the 200-yard medley relay and took sixth in the 800-yard freestyle relay.

Schulze, Connett, Koetje and Ballinger formed WU's 200 medley relay team. They recorded a time of 1:55.41. In the 800 free relay, Willamette's team of Schulze, Jenna Larrow (Sr., Boise, ID/Timberline HS), Connett and Ballinger concluded the race in 8:19.22.

The women’s team scores after the second day of competition: Whitworth 534, University of Puget Sound 499, Lewis & Clark College 252, Whitman College 244, Linfield College 171, Pacific University 169, Willamette 157, Pacific Lutheran University 136.